More Ways To Pay

Big Issue vendors are offering more ways to pay for The Big Issue magazine. Now, along with cash, you can pay with your card or the Beem It app.

Digital payments will help to ensure vendors, who earn a life-changing income from selling The Big Issue magazine, have the greatest chance of success now and in the future.

Cash

Card

Beem It

Cash

For 22 years customers have paid for The Big Issue with cash, and cash will continue to be an important source of income for some Big Issue vendors.

Vendors are running their own business selling The Big Issue, and they choose whether to offer digital payments. If your local vendor’s business remains cash-only, keep supporting them by paying the traditional way.

Card

Vendors taking card payments will be equipped with a Quest tap-and-go device that accepts Visa, Mastercard or Eftpos debit cards.

The device is powered by NAB and syncs with an app on your vendor’s phone. When you purchase a magazine, your vendor will use their app to tell the tap-and-go device how much to charge. Your vendor will then show you the price displayed on the device before you tap your card. From a customer perspective, it works like any other tap-and-go payment.

Beem It

Beem It is a free mobile app that lets users make and receive instant payments.

To use Beem It

download the app from your app store

create an account

verify your ID and

link the app to any Australian-issued Visa or Mastercard debit card.

To buy a Big Issue magazine with Beem It, use the app to scan your vendor’s QR code. The QR code will be on your vendor’s lanyard. This will generate the price of the magazine and link to your vendor’s Beem It account. Then you simply swipe your finger to approve the payment on your phone.

One option is tap-and-go with your Visa, Mastercard or Eftpos debit card. The Quest payment device is powered by NAB and syncs with an app on your vendor’s phone. Vendors select the magazine option in their app, which tells the device how much to charge. From a customer perspective, it works like any other tap-and-go payment.

The second option is the Beem It app. Beem It, owned by the Commonwealth Bank, NAB and Westpac, lets users make and receive instant payments. If you’re new to Beem It, download the app free from your app store and follow the prompts. Creating and verifying your account takes less than five minutes, all you need to get set up is a valid ID and a Visa or Mastercard debit card. To buy a Big Issue magazine with Beem It, scan your vendor’s QR code to generate the price of the magazine and approve the payment on your phone.

Digital payments will help vendors increase their sales as they reach a wider audience who aren’t carrying cash. This change also means vendors are future-proofing their businesses. As cash transactions continue to decline in Australia, they will already be set up to take digital payments.

Many vendors having been eagerly awaiting the launch of digital payments and are excited to use the technology. For other vendors this is a big change and they would greatly appreciate your patience as they become familiar with the digital payment options.

If you’re using Beem It, you control the transaction on your phone. All you need to do is scan the vendor’s QR code, which generates price of the magazine. Then you approve the payment on your phone.

If you’re paying with card, your vendor will use a simple app to tell their tap-and-go device how much to charge. Your vendor will show you the cost displayed on their device before you tap your card to pay.

If something does go wrong, refunds can be processed through both payment options. The first step is talking to your vendor. If it can’t be resolved straight away, please let us know.